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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076911">Warm Hands, Warm Heart</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/xX_Septimus_Xx/pseuds/xX_Septimus_Xx'>xX_Septimus_Xx</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>3rd book, Eventual Smut, F/M, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Mentions of Self Worth Issues, Reader is a Gryffindor, Reader is of age, Relationship blossoms, Remus Lupin Lives, Teacher-Student Relationship, Very fluffy, good ending, they fancy each other</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-16</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 03:21:20</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,364</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25076911</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/xX_Septimus_Xx/pseuds/xX_Septimus_Xx</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fiasco at Hogwarts last year and the previous year, you couldn't help but wonder what sort of problem Hogwarts would face this year. You had a slight inclination: the notorious criminal Sirius Black had escaped from his cell in Azkaban- the most high security wizard's prison out there- and was on the run. You hoped that your last year at Hogwarts would be smooth sailing, but you believed you were getting your hopes up unnecesarily. You were certain you'd face a wide variety of problems your last year; what you didn't know, however, was that one problem would prove to be slightly more 'pleasurable'<br/>than the others.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Remus Lupin/Reader, Remus Lupin/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>41</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 'Family' Reunion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey y'all! This is my first fanfic on this website- I'm still not even sure how to run it, but I hope you enjoy what I've made nonetheless :D!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>You and your classmates chattered excitedly as the doors to the Great Hall flew open, drowing all of eyes with the warm, welcoming light that at once made you feel as though you had finally come home.</p>
<p>You took a deep inhale, taking in the familiar scent of Hogwarts as you once again crossed the line between the corridor and the Great Hall for the seventh time. You were glad to be back. There was a shared feeling of satisfaction and serenity among your peers as you all began to take in the intimate sight of the area around you.</p>
<p>Candles floated elegantly above the four house tables, occasionally dripping wax on the unlucky passerby. The banners of the four houses shone birghtly by their respected polished mahogany tables. Most striking was the ceiling, which shone what the night sky looked like above the castle, this night being a particulary cozy thunderstorm. Yes, you've missed this. You and your fellow Gryffindors made your way to the Gryffindor table, still babbling about everything and nothing in particular.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"The Dementor, on the train.."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Didn't you hear that Potter fainted?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"I hope Sirius Black stays away, my mum would take me out of Hogwarts faster than my Nimbus 2000..."</p>
<p> </p>
<p>"Hey, does anyone know what we're having for dinner?"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Comfortably situated on the bench to your table, you turned to your friend, Elliot.</p>
<p>"It feels good to be back, doesn't it?" You said as you turned to smile at him enthusiastically. He looked up from fumbling around in his pocket.</p>
<p>"Yeah, it does." He offered you a lazy smile, taking out a few candies he had gotten on the train. "Want one?" You shook your head.</p>
<p>"Nah, I'm good. Thanks though." He only shrugged his shoulders and shifted his gaze from you to the first years. His green eyes narrowed at them as he tilted his head, his dark chocolate hair threatening to fall in front of his face. You followed his gaze.</p>
<p>"Wow, look at the lot of them, they're absolutely eccentric." Elliot judgingly stated; you wacked him in the arm lightly. "Ow! Well, it's true!"</p>
<p>"You were the most eccentric kid on that train, Elliot, never forget it!" You replied ardently, pointing an accusatory finger at him. He playfully feigned mock hurt, putting his hand on his chest in faux shock. </p>
<p>"Yes, well, I suppose that's why were friends- it takes one to know one after all." He cheekily replied, making you both laugh. Yeah, you really did miss this. He turned his attention back to first years.</p>
<p>"Alright, I'll let it go this time- but only if you give me some candy in the Common Room after the feast." You teased. Elliot whipped his head around and stared at you gaping. You sniggered.</p>
<p>"But you said you didn't want any!"</p>
<p>"Well, not right now, but I'll take some later!"</p>
<p>"Alright, fine. Whatever you want, my queen." He grandiloquently declared, bowing slightly for effect. You both laughed, but were soon shushed by the lowering voices around you as the sorting of the first years had begun.</p>
<p>After a long twenty minutes of shouting from the sorting hat and loud clapping, that chatter that sprung up again was quickly doused as the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore, began to speak.</p>
<p>"Welcome! Welcome to another year at Hogwarts!" Dumbledore began energetically. "I have a few things to say to you all, and as one of them is very serious, I think it is best to get it out of the way before you become befuddled by your excellent feast... As you all be aware after their search of the Hogwarts Express, our school is presently playing host to some of the dementors of Azkaban, who are here on Ministry of Magic business." And with that, his annual speech was in motion. A few words and warnings were said on presence of dementors at the school, making a few people and yourself shudder, before Dumbledore continued on and began to introduce the new professors of the year. Everyone, including you, leaned forwards in curiousity. Some glances were exchanged at Harry Potter and his friends.</p>
<p>"On a happier note," Dumbledore continued, "I am pleased to welcome two new teachers to our ranks this year. First, professor Lupin, who has kindly consented to fill the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher."</p>
<p>Your eyes followed Dumbledore's gaze to your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Professor Lupin. You applauded along with your peers, but you were much more focused on your new professor than the rest of them, although you hated to admit it. He was, well- handsome. He had a rather lean face and frame, and though he looked slightly sleep and nutrient deprived, there was a spark or vivacity about him, centered mainly in his hazel eyes. He couldn't have been older than his thirties. A warm, polite smile was situated naturally on his scarred face as he patiently waited for the applause to stop. As his eyes swept the room they landed on yours- you held eye contact for a split second, a quiet acknowledgement of each other before you both broke it, as holding it any longer would've become uncomfortable. 'He seems kind,' you thought, as your interest in him began to steadily rise, as did your blush. Your focus was soon shifted as the appluase began to die down, and Dumbledore's voice echoed throughout the Great Hall again:</p>
<p>"As to our second new appointment- Well, I am sorry to tell you that Professor Kettleburn, our Care of Magical Creatures Teacher, retired at the end of last year in order to enjoy more time with his remaining limbs. However, I am delighted to say that his place will be filled by none other than Rubues Hagrid, who has agreed to take on this teaching job in addition to his gamekeeping duites." You and Elliot looked at each other in shock before joining in the fervent applause directed at Hagrid. Hagrid was staring down at his hands, blushing from all the attention- you only clapped harder at his display of shyness, thinking that there wasn't a wizard better appointed for the job than Hagrid. You and Elliot exchanged two more smiles before stopping your applause.</p>
<p>"Well, I think that's everything of importance- Let the feast begin!" Dumbledore proclaimed. Soon after, the golden goblets and plates began to fill with food, a bounty so attractive that you and your classmates couldn't help but hungrily dig in.</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>After the feast, you sleepily clambered up the steps towards your common room with your friends, got in, spent a few minutes chatting before heading up to your dormitory and beginning to unpack your stuff. Once you were finished, you quickly prepared for bed and chatted breifly with your roomate, Alyssa.</p>
<p>"Crazy night, huh?" She asked you, changing into her pajamas from her robes; you looked at her briefly before going back to staring at the ceiling of your four-poster bed while lying down.</p>
<p>"Yeah, it really was- I can't believe this is our last year at Hogwarts- remember when we first came here?" You smiled at the memory, recalling your nervous first-year self asking her for directions after you took a wrong turn to get to your Transfiguration Class. You heard her sigh contentedly, knowing she was remembering the same thing too. Alas, it wasn't that long ago, but it seemed like ages.</p>
<p>"Yeah, and who knew that would blossom into such a great friendship? I mean, who would't want to be friends with this hot bod?" She flexed her upper half convincingly with nothing but a sports bra and pair of shorts on. You whistled, finding your friend's display of false narcisism humorous. That only spurred her on more, as she decided to pose for effect by the dresser next to her.</p>
<p>"Alright, get a shirt on you fool!" You playfully jousted, causing her to laugh and put on her much-too-long Coke shirt she thirfted with you down by the beach. You plopped your head back down on your pillow, sighing happily before your thoughts began to drift elsewhere, taking you from your comfortable, ambient room back to the events of today.</p>
<p>Your mind couldn't help but wander back to the satisfaction you found while holding your gaze with Professor Lupin. It was nice, although you hated to admit it- you didn't know why you felt that way. Nobody had ever looked at you with such an intensity before, even if it was a quick glance. Your mind raced with excitement and anticipation as you toyed with what would happen tomorrow- the refreshing idea of new classes and experiences that were to befall you, even if some of them would be the 'problems' you had been dreading- namely, the NEWTS. But one 'problem' you feared would prove to be a little more difficult than the rest- a problem, such as, your growing intrigue with your handsome new professor.</p>
<p>Soon, Alyssa called lights out and the room was then enveloped in a thick blanket of darkness, much like the corridor was before you had entered the Great Hall. But once your eyes adjusted, you saw the soft light of the moon filter through the window, lighting up your room and making your body glow. Alyssa's four poster bed's drapes were closed, but your's were wide open, taking in the space of the room and the white fire of the moon. You settled quickly into the silence, relishing it's peace and the solidarity of your mind. You snuggled under the cozy covers and closed your eyes, your body now deciding for you that it was time to take a nice, well deserved rest.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>And while the moon shone through your window, it shone through another's as well. However, his eyes never left the moon, and glistened with a different expression from yours- fear. The fear of what was to come.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>His body cramped painfully in anticipation.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. To Fear an Illusion</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Ahhh why doesn't archiveofoourown have an automatic save mechanism I accidentaly exited out of my tab at like twelve o'clock at night and 2000+ words went down the drain. I've learned my lesson. Anways, enjoy the chapter :D!</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Your eyes fluttered open to the sound of Alyssa's scuttling. You blinked, twice, before slowly rising from the warm comforts of your bed to peer around your dormitory room. The day was gray outside, and Alyssa had lit up a candle that stood proudly burning on her dresser beside her bed. It illuminated the red wallpaper of the Gryffindor dormitory nicely, and you couldn't help but imagine what it would be like to snuggle back up under your covers, just staring at the light. Begrudginly, however, you got out of bed and stretched, a few bones popping in relief.</p><p>Alyssa had already exited the dormitory room to head to the bathrooms, so you were left alone. You smiled softly to yourself, relishing in the time that you would get all to yourself before being immersed in the large sea of students as you began your first day of your last year at Hogwarts. It was a bittersweet feeling, you had to admit. You wouldn't get to experience this ever again from your position in life. And still, that sad knowing made it beautiful all the same. You loved your school deeply, and knew that you would come back sometime after graduating- you had to.</p><p>You went over to your dresser, pulling out your white button up and robes to wear for the day. You also grabbed your dress pants, Gryffindor tie, and jacket; you knew that you'd want to spend some time outside after your classes were done. You changed at a rather slow pace, enjoying your time. Once you were finished you took a look in the mirror, brushed and fixed your hair and decided that you indeed looked good. Hey, a little positive self talk never hurt anyone, right? Posing one last time in the mirror, you went back to your bed to grab your bag.</p><p>You stuffed your books, rolls of parchment, quills and ink bottles in your rather worn down leather bag, and as a last bout of inspiration you decided to push in your loyal sketchbook. If you didn't have too much homework today, you decided you would spend your time outside drawing instead of studying for the next day of classes. Putting your bag around your shoulder, you headed off towards the bathrooms to do your business and hygiene routine.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Finally, you made it down to the Great Hall for breakfast. It was already exceptionally packed, as you took your sweet time this morning getting ready. You saw Elliot lift his head up from talking to Alyssa at the Gryffindor table and offered you his typical lazy smile. You grinned back and, setting your bag down by your feet, sat down on the bench by Elliot and began to tune in on what they were talking about.</p><p>"What took you so long?" Elliot asked without really looking at you, instead choosing to focus on the pancake he was cutting up. You shrugged nonchalantly as you watched his diligent work.</p><p>"I just wanted to sleep in a bit. You know, get as much sleep as I can before the school year starts." You replied, beginning to place two waffles onto your plate and drown them with maple syrup.</p><p>"Mm. Mhmm." Elliot hummed in acknowledgement, his mouth full of food. You turned your head to Alyssa, who was staring off into space, looking mildly troubled. You furrowed your brows and gave her a concerned look.</p><p>"Hey Alyssa, what's up? You seem troubled." You commented; Elliot brought his head up from scarfing down his pancake to look at both you and Alyssa- he too adopted a look of concern and quickly swallowed the remainder of his pancake. Alyssa, startled, began to rub her arm nervously and looked away. You continued to stare at her. Alyssa was one of the toughest people you knew- she was very hard to scare, and when she did scare, she'd choose fight over her flight response. You rarely ever saw her troubled like this, but it got more frequent as the years at Hogwarts went on; namely, with the rumors about Voldemort's rise to power. Conspiraces were beginning to pop up all over the place and it was admittedly hard to keep your sanity as you beccame overwhelmed with the sheer amount of them and the fear that they seemed to spark in everyone. And, to add the cherry on top, Sirius Black had escaped. </p><p>"I- well, it's hard to explain." She quickly said in a hushed whisper, sweeping a clump of her honey-brown hair over her shoulder as she refused to meet neither your or Elliot's eyes yet. You watched her glance quickly at the entrance to the Great Hall, and back again to the table.</p><p>"Last night, I had a dream. Sirius Black found his way into the castle, and he began screaming- not just screaming, but yelling terrible things, too. Like how he was going to kill everyone there, and how-uh, You-know-who was going to come back again, and Hogwarts would be their first victory." Her voice dropped at the end of her sentence as fear seized her last words from her. You and Elliot both stared in shock, internalizing what she had just said. Well, you certainly weren't suspecting that. It made sense, but it was still nonetheless a terrifying dream to have, especially in a time like right now. You met her eyes and held her gaze.</p><p>"That's terrible Alyssa. I'm sorry you had to dream about that." Elliot said in a whisper, letting his gaze fall down to his lap. Alyssa nodded, taking a deep breath and letting her posture drop slightly. </p><p>"I feel like it's a premonition, but you can't be so sure- it was just really scary, that's all." Alyssa concluded, beginning to play with her food again.</p><p>"Sounds like it." You said.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>You had your Animagus class first thing in the morning. McGonagall made quick work of introducing the subject and handing out the course sheets before beginning the first lesson. Alas, you weren't expecting anything else- McGonagall, after all, was very precise, and time proved to be no exception. Exiting the class with nothing but required reading, you made your way down to the dungeons for Advanced Potions.</p><p>Snape, like McGonagall, knew his subject well- well enough to assign homework at the end of his lesson. Again, you didn't expect anything else, so you weren't suprised when a page-and-a-half was due for the ill effects of the Polyjuice Potion if done wrong. On the way out, Elliot accidentaly knocked over a glass jar filled halfway with Mandrake Roots and was rewarded with two weeks detention, starting tomorrow. After giving Snape one last salty glance, Elliot and you began your trek towards the Greenhouses. </p><p>Planting was always your strong suit. Herbology always came easy to you, and today all that Sprout required of you today was to restock the pots and soil for the new school year. As you filled up buckets with the sweet smell of nutrient-rich soil, Elliot sulked about his detention and ranted to you and the entre class about Snape and his actions, until it was eventually time to part ways with him as he headed up to the Astronomy tower, and you to the Art room.</p><p>Figwart, the art professor, had you restocking the art room. It was, much like Herbology, uneventful, and you chatted with some of your Hufflepuff friends about how the day was going and what you were excited for coming up. You always loved Hufflepuffs- they were the easiest to like among the other houses. You and your Hufflepuff friends chatted the time away aimlessly until you heard the bell ring once more, and it was time for your last class of the day- Defense Against the Dark Arts.</p><p>Now, you were very curious to see how this first class period would go. You had been looking forward to this all day. Would he be nervous like Professor Quirrel had been his first class? Or would he be annoyingly arrogant and superficial like Lockheart had? You toyed around with the possibilites as you made your way down the long stretch of corridor towards the classroom, excitement slowly building up within you with every step closer you got. </p><p>Upon your arrival, you found that many other students had arrived at just the same time as you. You entered the classroom, taking a look around before spotting Elliot and Alyssa; you smiled and walked yourself over to where they were sitting. Alyssa sat next to her girlfriend, Hannah, a Ravenclaw girl. You sat down next to Elliot, who quietly placed a candy on your lap before returing to his bag, smiling. You giggled, putting the candy away in your pocket before getting out your book and parchment paper. Professor Lupin was nowhere to be seen yet, but you assumed he was in his office as the door to there was closed. And, as if answering your question the door opened and out came your tall, lean, slightly hunched over teacher.</p><p>You had to admit- he looked better than he did yesterday. He got a bit more color in his face which made you think that he had eaten a decent sized meal before coming to teach the class today. His cheeks were roser and even his hair seemed to get a lift. You, along with the other students were caught up in a trance, staring at him, waiting for him to make the first move. He walked towards the balcony, offering a warm smile before descending down the stairs- it was quite dramatic, if you were being honest. You smiled back, your eyes meeting his. You sat near the front of the classroom, close enough for him to notice you. There was a glint of recognition in his eyes as he seemed to remember you from last night. You both stared in polite interest at each other before he broke eye contact, proceeding to look at the rest of his students in the room. You looked down suddenly, feeling strange. You shouldn't get such a wave of satisfaction when he looked at you, right? You chalked it down to your curiousity. Yes, that was it. He seemed like a bright mind, and you were intrigued to see just how he would make his first impression on the class.</p><p>"Welcome," he spoke suddenly,"To Defense Against the Dark Arts." The buzz of excitement that began in the class felt like it was beginning to bubble over- you tilted your head in curiousity. "I know you are all no strangers to changing your Defense Against the Dark Arts professors, so I am under the assumption that we will have very little difficulty when changing up your cirriculum a bit, as I am now your new professor." There was a few glances shared between the class as you all processed what he had said. You smiled.</p><p>"My name is Professor Lupin. It's a pleasure to meet you all." Professor Lupin raised his eyebrows and gave you all a playful smile- a few kids giggled, tickled by his pleasantries. You were one of them. You and Elliot shared a look.</p><p>"Now, as you are all in your seventh year, I am going to expect more from you than I will the younger classes. To begin with, you will all be handed your course sheets. Do not loose these, as they are important pointers as to how your semester will go. However, if you do I will be happy to give you a new one." Professor Lupin picked up a stack of papers on his desk and began to hand them out, walking between the rows of desks. A guy named Thomas Milhede gulped nervously and fidgeted with his hands. You shot him a sympathetic smile. Yeah, he was definetly going to loose his.</p><p>"For today's lesson, I thought we'd do something a bit more relaxed. You can put away your books and parchment, everybody." You blinked a few times, suprised. You and the class began to slowly put away your things, suddenly very curious and excited about what he had in store for you all. There were a few relieved noises made by some of the students at the prospect that there wasn't going to be any homework from this class today. Elliot gave a small,'yes!' before putting away his very od and unwieldy textbook.</p><p>"Just yesterday night, I found a boggart hiding in the teacher's lounge. I thought it would make a good first lesson for my third years, and a fun little lesson for my seventh years- it will also give me a chance to get to know you all better. Now, we all know what a boggart is, yes?" You and a few other students nodded in agreement. His eyes flicked past yours, before landing on the other students in the room. Your excited feeling quickly stwitched to that of nervousness. You felt butterflies began to fly in your stomach, making it feel like an air balloon of sorts. You had no idea what the boggart would turn into for you. What was your greatest fear? You shared a few nervous glances with the other kids in the room- you looked at Elliot, who appeared just as apprehensive. Now, it was your turn to gulp.</p><p>"Alright then, follow me." Professor Lupin strode down the room, with a few kids beginning to follow after him. You got up from your seat, slung your bag around your shoulder and looked at Elliot. He gave you a nervous shrug in response as you all were towed along by Professor Lupin's quick strides. You followed him, passing through many corridors before finally getting to the teacher's lounge. The mood by then had switched from nervousness to anxiety as you all gathered around the door where Professor Lupin stood. He only smiled at you and your classmates' apprehension before opening the door.</p><p>At the very far end of the room stood a rattling wardrobe. It was shaking furiously as though a very large animal were trapped in it. It was very obvious as to where the boggart was. You gave a rather large nervous laugh, with a few other kids following in suit. Professor Lupin's kind eyes landed on yours.</p><p>"Ah, yes, the key to defeating a boggart- laughter. Very wise, Mrs...?" Professor Lupin smiled down at you, raising his eyebrows in inquisition.</p><p>"(Y/N) (L/N)." You answered, smiling.</p><p>"Right. Ten points are awarded to Gryffindor for Mrs. (Y/N) (L/N)'s wisdom." You looked around at your fellow Gryffindors in pleasant suprise as they did you. Elliot gave a small fist bump in your direction. You felt a little bit better about the situation with your friend's and teacher's approval- but you still didn't know what your boggart would be.</p><p>You all noisily shuffled into the room, standing at the far end near the door as Professor Lupin strode importantly to the very back of the room by the wardrobe. He quietly inspected you all before his eyes landed on you. You felt a pang of anxiety.</p><p>"Well, Mrs. (L/N), would you like to do the honors of going first?" Professor Lupin asked you. Ah. Your suspicions were correct.</p><p>"I don't know what my greatest fear is, professor..." You said, suddenly embarrassed. Professor Lupin studied you for a moment before he smiled.</p><p>"All the more reason for you to go first and discover it for yourself. Now, everyone, form a line." Oh, oh no. You silently pleaded with your fellow classmates for them to go first, but to no avail- you were ushered to the front of the line, with a few kids cheering you on. Alyssa gave you a tired, sympathetic smile. Elliot whispered,'you got this' as he sheepishly made his way to the very back of the line. Ah. So much for a Gryffindor. </p><p>You stood at the very front, suddenly feeling dread. The butterflies in your stomach had long dropped dead by now as your tummy did a painful roll of anxiety. It felt like tons of bricks were weighing you down as you looked to Professor Lupin for instruction, hardening your gaze despite you apprehension. His eyes twinkled with encouragement.</p><p>" Mrs. (L/N), can you name for me the charm in which to defeat a boggart with?" You turned to face him, your focus shifting from the boggart in the wardrobe to your third-year class in the blink of an eye. </p><p>"Riddikulus." You answered confidently, though you most certainly didn't feel like it. Professor Lupin nodded encouragingly.</p><p>"Good. Now, I want you to spend a few seconds thinking about what shape that boggart may take when I let it out of the wardrobe. If you still can't think of anything, that is alright- I and your classmates are here to help you if it proves to be more difficult than we thought." You only nodded, your focus back on the shaking wardrobe. Greatest fear... Greatest fear... What was your greatest fear? Sure, you had may things that you were scared of, but what did you fear the most? Not fearing anything at all? Fearing everything? Maybe, the boggart would turn into a mediocre fear of yours, yes... But what would that mediocre fear be? You were beginning to feel sick.</p><p>You turned back to Professor Lupin after a few seconds, feeling defeated.</p><p>"I still don't know, sir." You admitted sheepishly. You gave him a meek look that he answered back with sympathy.</p><p>"That's alright- as I said, we'll be here to help you if it's something you can't handle, but I doubt that. Now-" He said, turning to address the class."I will count to three, and release the boggart for Mrs. (L/N) who will be the first one to face it. Once she has said the charm,'Riddikulus,' the boggart will be stunned for just enough time for her to move out of the way and let the next person in line have a go. Because we are such a large group, we will confuse the boggart, and once everyone has gone we will have no difficulty in putting the boggart back in its wardrobe.</p><p>"Are you ready, Mrs. (L/N)?"</p><p>"Ready as I'll ever be." You responed, getting into a steady and alert stance, which made you feel a little more confident. You felt yourself become focused as you braced both your mind and body for what was about to come. Professor Lupin smiled down at you.</p><p>"Excellent. Now- one, two- three!" </p><p>The doors to the wardrobe shot open, and out stepped the most horrifying thing you had ever laid your eyes on.</p><p>The Wendigos in books were outrageously romaticized. They did not look nearly as aesthetic as they're portrayed.</p><p>The hideous beast stretched menacingly with its voidless eyes trained upon you, brimming over the top with chaotic vitality. It was ten feet tall, with the decaying skull of a deer for a head and the hunger-panged body of a human- all except it's legs, which were the hind legs of a deer. It's body was twisted painfully in starvation as lumbered towards you slowly, blood dripping from various parts of its rotting body. There were random spikes sticking out of its frame, almost like the bones of small animals. You could even smell it, too- though you won't sure if it was your imagination playing tricks on you or the actually boggart itself. You didn't care at the moment.</p><p>Your breath hitched as memories of the beast caught up with you. You had encountered this creature while living in the states. Dark nights of it lumbering around in the field at night were enough to give you sleepless nights for months, let alone without the small dead animal carcasses that it would leave behind- not to mention the bloody carcass of a cow it killed once, it's head missing. </p><p>You woud have noticed everyone else step back if you weren't so intently focused on the terrifying creature in front of you. You were paralyzed. Memories began to flood your brain, out of your control. You felt yourself get hit with a range of negative emotions radiating off of the beast- fear, rage, sorrow, jealousy, hunger- and hopelessness. You felt hopeless as the beast towered over you menacingly, its large bear-like claws stretching for the kill-</p><p>"(Y/N)! Focus!" And, as a savior from the heavens to pull you out of your paralysis, was Professor Lupin's voice. You blinked a few times before a force began to build in your chest, getting ready to cast your spell.</p><p>"Riddikulus!" You yelled.</p><p>A spark of red shot from your wand and hit the Wendigo. It transformed very suddenly to a normal, huffing buck. It angrily jumped around, wondering where the rest of its body went. You let out an airy, weak laugh before remembering to step aside for the next person in line. You walked over to the side of the classroom, finding significanly more pleasure in watching other people face the boggart than you. Almost the whole class besides the person preparing to face the boggart were staring at you, shocked- you only looked away emarrassed, meeting Professor Lupin's gaze before looking at the ground. He was looking at you, but he seemed to be looking through you- his expression was unreadable, which left you feeling nervous. Did you do a bad job? Ah, who cares, you did it. You didn't want anything more to do with the boggart- you had enough of it to last years.</p><p>Watching the class from the side, you saw all sorts of things: orcs, goblins, spiders, snakes- all of it. There was even a pineapple, for Merlin's sake. You and everyone else laughed, confused as to why that would make the smart Ravenclaw girl cower, until you saw the hideous creature it became. Yeah, needless to say, you'd be cautious around pineapples from this day foward. </p><p>Soon, more than half of the class had gathered to the side with you and were passionately watching others face their fears as well. You smiled at your classmates' look of triumph when they defeated their fears with their wand in hand, using the incantation that would make even the most frightening thing look measly- in a funny way, of course. You were slightly nervous as Alyssa's turn approached, for you feared that the boggart would turn into Sirius Black- to your suprise, it was a dragon, in which she calmly but nervously turned into a small lizard which ran around in circles until the next person stepped up to the boggart. Alyssa made her way to the side to join you and Elliot, to which she was whispered small words of praise from you both. It had seemed that everyone had forgotten about your hideous boggart- they were too focused on replaying the memory of overcoming their own fears. Everyone was in a good mood when the last Slytherin boy defeated his clown boggart, smiling slightly to himself and turning away upon hearing the deafening sound of everyone's shouts and cheers. Professor Lupin calmly used his wand to put the boggart back in the wardrobe and locked it up. He turned towards your chattering class and smiled.</p><p>"Well done everybody! Facing a boggart is no easy task, but I excepted this class to succeed." Professor Lupin gazed down upon the class, praise tinkling in his eyes and dripping off his words. The class erupted in chatter for a few seconds before being extingiushed once again by Professor Lupin's timbre.</p><p>"Ah, would you look at the time- time flies by when one is conquering their own fears. I suppose this is the end of our first lesson. You are all dismissed." </p><p>The class noisly shuffled out of the classroom, some eager to start their homework while others were just eager to relax. You turned back while walking out of the classroom to laugh at a comment that Elliot made, only to see Professor Lupin's gaze was on you. You met each his eyes for a moment, and he held that same expression again- he looked pensive, almost like he wanted to say something. You quickly turned away as you couldn't stay in the middle of the doorway and look into his eyes like that, though a part of you wanted to. </p><p>Alyssa, Elliot and yourself entered the steadily packed corridor and began walking towards the Gryffindor common room. You all chatted excitedly about your days and shared insights on all of your new classes. You engaged in the discussion, seemingly present but your mind had wandered somewhere else. Why did Professor Lupin look at you like that? You thought it could be pity, which left you feeling slightly ashamed and embarrassed. Well, at least it seemed like he liked you from giving you points and making you go first. He really did seem like a good teacher, a definite step-up from last year's disaster. Still, you couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to that stare than what was at the surface. It was a very intense gaze- it made you uncomfortable thinking about it. </p><p>You had barely noticed you all had reached the common room until Alyssa said the password and the portait door swung open. You made your way inside through the tunnel and into the common room, in which you made yourselves at home on a pair of sofas and began to chat idly. You pulled out homework, beginning to work on it and helping Elliot who couldn't seem to understand the difference between two constellations on his Astronomy map. </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>You finished your homework in an hour, and by the time you were done it was time to head down to the Great Hall for supper. You went down with Elliot and Alyssa, entered the Great Hall and sat down in the middle of the Gryffindor table. You ate excellent hearty food as you listened to Elliot rant about the ghost that fazed through the bathroom stall door ealier today and how that ghost found himself face-to-face with a very flustered looking Elliot. You laughed good naturedly, along with a few other Gryffindors who heard about the fiasco that went down in the second floor bathrooms in the left corridor. You were having fun, but you couldn't help but steal a few glances up at Professor Lupin, just to see if you could catch his eye. Unfortunately, his body was turned away from you as he listened to Professor Flitwick, who seemed to be having quite a serious discussion about his food. You could see Professor Lupin smiling amusedly, and after a short while of looking up at him you decided to give up and put your gaze back to the Gryffindor table.</p><p> </p><p>Once dinner was done, you, Elliot, and Alyssa decided that an evening spent on the grounds would be nice. You filed out of one of the side entrances of Hogwarts and began to make your way down to the field, which was already inhabited by a few individuals with the same idea as you. You found a nice spot under an alder tree and sat down, proceeding to take in the beauty around you. Yes, Hogwarts was stunning. It was quiet for a few moments before Elliot spoke up and talked about the slant the mountains made towards the Great Lake. You and Alyssa hummed in response, barely breaking the silence of the place- it was always nice to get a peaceful moment like this, away from all the action and hussle there was inside the castle. It seemed like forty minutes has passed before you all decided to head back up to the common room and enjoy the rest of your night there. Contentedly, you all made your way back up the hill and towards the entrance you had come out of, stealing quick glances back at the lake and trees of the Hogwarts grounds.</p><p> </p><p>You all silently walked down the corridors and through the castle, until you reached the portait hole once again and walked through. You stuck around the fire a bit with Elliot and Alyssa along with a few other Gryffindors before Elliot decided to retire, and you and Alysssa decided to do the same. Once you were in your dormitory room you immediately plopped down on your bed, thinking about everything and nothing in particular. Alyssa slapped your leg slightly, a way of teasing you for being so childish before she, too, did the same.</p><p>"You feeling better from this morning?" You asked her, turning your head to gaze at her from an odd angle. The way she had layed down on her bed, you couldn't see her face, but you saw her body shift slightly as if acknowledging your question.</p><p>"Yes, loads." She responded, and she did sound relieved. You smiled, knowing she wasn't lying and turned your head to stare at the window. The sun was now just a sliver on the horizon, and you could see the blanket of darkness beginning to take over the sky. Stars began to peek through the darkness and gleam down at you from far, distant places. The room grew a lot more cozier, the candles creating a soft ambient glow in the room. It reminded you of the scene from last night, only with a more controlled burn, matching the feeling of the excitement of the first day beginning to mellow out inside of you. Much to your suprise, you didn't feel tired anymore- the walk back to the castle and your time in the common room had left you feeling quite sleepy, but now you were wide awake. This always seemed to happen when you were alone at Hogwarts- a specailty few knew how to experience- and it happened excusively at night it seemed. Alyssa pronounced that she was going to get ready for bed, and you heard her get up from her bed and shuffle to the door, hearing the soft click once it had closed. You sat up, looked around, before deciding what you wanted to do that night. You were hungry. You wanted something sweet. </p><p>You organized the clothes in your dresser for a bit until Alyssa had come back, to which she proceeded to change and made herself cozy in her bed. You yourself got ready, though you had other plans for tonight than to sleep. You changed, crawled into bed and watched Alyssa finally draw the curtains on her four-poster bed closed. You waited a few minutes in the darkness, before you were sure she was asleep. You smiled mischeviously. The night always brought out a new side of you.</p><p>You quietly got out of bed, tip-toed to your dresser and softly took out your invisibility cloaked. How you ever got a hold of this is not yours to tell. But it was certainly yours to use.</p><p>You put a coat over yourself, put on a pair of comfortable shoes before making you way towards the door. You paused, looking at the room one last time before leaving.</p><p>You made your way through a hidden passage way in the common room and found yourself on the second floor. You quietly walked down the corridor, towards the stairs. The moon shone brightly through the windows, well on its way to becoming full and following you as you silently, but swiftly, walked. Being alone in the castle at night always made you feel powerful. You loved the privacy it gave you- you would relish it as long as you could. Finally, you found the stairs and began your descent, making your way to the bottom and starting a new path towards the kitchens.</p><p>Upon your arrival, you took off your cloak and got greeted by a rather enthusiastic houself named Didkley. </p><p>"Hello miss! How may I help you?" He asked you, his voice teetering on the edge between shrill and squeaky.</p><p>"Oh, I'll just have a scone please. Thank you." He bowed before running off, giving directions to his fellow houselfs. You stood there, taking in the warmth of the kitchens; it always had a nice yellow glow to it and a seemingly endless buzz about it. Still, it was one of your favorite places in the castle. After patiently standing there near the entrance for a bit, Didkley came back and handed you a nice, fresh-out-of-the-oven blueberry scone.</p><p>"Thank you so much! Is there anything I can help you with tonight?" You asked politely- you always did, even though you knew their response would be the same. As you expected, Didkley shook his head feverishly.</p><p>"No need miss! We can handle everything! We enjoy serving you! Now, have a nice night!" He squeaked, taking a small bow before running off to another part of the kitchen. You laughed a bit, before suddenly feeling the overwhelming urge to put your cloak on right then and there. You felt that someone was approaching the kitchen doors, feeling their presence a few seconds before hearing them. Panicked, you quickly draped the cloak around you completely and shuffled a bit to the side of the room, watching the door intently.</p><p>The door finally opened, and out stepped your professor- Professor Lupin. You were suprised to seem him to say the least, but it was true that you would be suprised to see just about anyone coming to the kitchens. In all your years of visiting it had always just been you there, never anybody else. So, you watched him with intense curiousity and held your breath, still a bit jittery from the shock of having to move so quickly.</p><p>You watched him take a small look around, before being greeted by Didkley.</p><p>"Hello Professor! What can I do for you?" Didkley asked. You saw Professor Lupin's expression soften as he gave Didkley a kind stare.</p><p>"Oh, just a few chocolate bars will do- thank you Didkley." The houseelf bowed deeply before running off once again and leaving you alone with Professor Lupin, although he was unaware of that fact. You were tense, your breath caught in your throat as you stood there without moving. He looked tired. He relaxed and slumped against the wall near the door, taking in the kitchen around him. He turned his head to look around, before turning to look in your direction. You held deadly still, not wanting to raise any suspicion to your presence. He blinked, twice, before he once again looked away and his eyes landed on Didkley's small form running towards him.</p><p>"Here you go sir! Have a nice night!" Professor Lupin thanked Didkley for the chocolate bars and turned around to exit through the door. You sighed a silent breath of relief, before you eyes widened in fear upon hearing Professor Lupin's words:</p><p>"Excuse me, but did another person come through here? I could've sworn I heard the door close." Shoot.</p><p>Didkley visibly tensed, and twiddled his thumbs nervously. He couldn't lie. He had to admit that you had come through here.</p><p>"Yes, someone did, but I don't know their name." Didkley responded nervously, feeling the pressure from both Professor Lupin and the prospect of exposing you. You mouth opened in shock as you watched the scene before you- you couldn't get caught. Not like this after so many years of sneaking around the castle. You feared the worst before seeing Professor Lupin's expression warm up slightly. </p><p>"Ah, well, just inform me the next time they come through here. It's against the rules to be wandering the school at night." And with that, Professor Lupin turned on his heels and strode out the room. Didkley stood there for a few moments, dazed before shaking his head and running off to main part of the kitchen, suddenly out of sight. You stood there overwhelmed about what had just happened. Never, in your seven years of sneaking down to the kitchens, had anyone ever gone when you had gone- and certainly never had been a professor. Ah, what luck, huh?</p><p>After standing there for what seemed like an eternity, your body finally mustered up enough courage to move. You silently made your way towards the door, opening it as quietly as you could and closing it; you breathed a sigh of relief before making your way to the stairs again. You were quite exhausted now, you had to admit- you'd just eat the scone in the morning, you really didn't feel like eating it now.</p><p>"Ah, there you are, I had the feeling you hadn't even left the kitchens at all." You paused, terrified. You turned, still concealed by your invisibility cloak to face Professor Lupin who resting against the wall near the door, a smug smile on his face and an eyebrow raised.  You didn't think it was possible to be more shocked than you already were- but that of course was wrong. </p><p>You stood there, breath hitched. Professor Lupin seemed to be looking right at you, and you panicked for a second, clutching the invisibility cloak harder to make sure you were in fact wearing it. Professor Lupin continued to stare before standing up fully and crossing his arms; he began to walk towards you now, and your heart was riddled with fear. </p><p>You moved back slowy, quietly, making no sound as you mirrored Professor Lupin's actions, only going the opposite direction. He walked fowards slowly, almost teasingly as you backed up, matching his pace. You couldn't tell if he knew anything about your stature, but he seemed to understand that you were shorter than him, for as he drew nearer to you he began to gaze down upon your cloaked figure. You didn't understand how he could possibly 'see' you, but that was the least of your worries. You had to get out of there. You were not going to be caught, not like this.</p><p>As Professor Lupin began drawing nearer, he slowed down. You realized you were backed up against a wall, a few feet away from the door to the kitchen, and about two hundred feet away from the stairwell. 'Shit...' you thought to yourself, 'How convienent'. You reprimanded your brain for having allowed yourself to become cornered by him like this. You were trembling now, every breath was as hushed as a butterfly's wings. Why were you this nervous? You were a Gryffindor, for Merlin's sake! You could handle this, you would be okay. Or, at least you hoped.</p><p>Professor Lupin towered over you, almost like a predator. You stared up at his face which held a much different expression from his previous smug one; it was almost primal. Your bodies were uncomfortably close now, and you prayed that he didn't feel the heat coming off of your cloaked person. He seemed to hesitate slightly, as though he wasn't actually sure you were there anymore. A look of doubt crossed his face as he inspected the area of which you stood in. He lifted his hand, reached out and-</p><p>You let out a small gasp, making his hand freeze midair.</p><p>You both stood completely still, not daring to make a move. You watched Professor Lupin's suprised face in shock, his hand still halfway between you and him. You barely breathed, not a single sound coming from your body. Professor Lupin's face changed. His expression morphed into one of guilt and shame, softening despite the predatory energy he had just a few moments ago. Seeing that he wasn't moving, you took it as your chance and fled, running towards the stairwell, not caring if your shoes echoed throughout the entire corridor. Professor Lupin only stood there, looking down the corridor where you ran, and there he stayed until you could see him no longer.</p><p>You made it back to your dormitory room and collapsed on the bed exhausted. You threw off your invisibility cloak and set your scone down on the bedside table. You were still tense, but once your body realized it was safe that feeling quickly subsided to exhaustion. You barely even remembered when you went to sleep, for when you did you were out like a light. Tonight was an experience you definetly would remember.</p>
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